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Earth Science Week 2019 events calendar

Browse all the events happening during Earth Science Week 2019 and find an activity near you. If you're running an event that isn't shown here, fill in our event submission form so we can list it on this page.

Events running on multiple days or all week (12 to 20 October 2019)

Reiff Climbing Festival is an opportunity for like-minded rock climbers to get together and explore the local geology of the North West Highlands Geopark. There will be rock climbing for all, from taster events to advanced climbing lessons, along with Ceilidh, geology for rock climbers and much more.

Ticket prices start at £15 for festival registration, see website for more information. For any enquiries, please contact Tim Hamlet at info@hamletmountaineering.com.

All week during respective library opening hours

Come and search for dinosaurs in the library! Find them all, learn some facts about them and enter a draw to win a dinosaur education-themed prize. This event offers fun for all ages, and will be taking place during opening hours at the following libraries:

Learn about the history of coal mining in Clyne Valley by visiting this free public display in the foyer of Oystermouth Library during Earth Science Week. To see the geological history of the Valley first hand, at the end of the week there will be a Clyne Valley geowalk on Sunday 20 October.

Visit Dynamic Earth during Earth Science Week to take part in a free (with admission to Dynamic Earth) wild workshop thanks to the Marine Conservation Society. Find out about deep-sea animals and the adaptations that help them survive in the depth, then get creative and design your own 'alien of the deep'.

This October the Open University is celebrating its 50th anniversary at Dynamic Earth. Meet academic and student scientists from the Open University involved in BBC broadcasts, find out what they do and how they do it. Try your hand at some virtual science experiments and hands-on activities too.

Discover the space robots used to explore comets and the planets, try being an ocean explorer or food scientist, get involved in citizen science with iSpot and Treezilla, and much more… discover how we “do science” at a distance for students.

The Sedgwick Museum will be celebrating Earth Science Week with an exciting series of short and informal free teatime tours. A different tour guide each evening will introduce you to selected highlights from the collection and showcase their favourite object. The tours are aimed at visitors aged 12 and up.

Aimed at 16- to 18-year-old students studying A-level Geology, this free masterclass will see students using our suite of optical microscopes at the University to learn how to identify rock types in thin section and find out how to identify microfossils in grain mounts to see how they can be used to inform their geological understanding. They will also produce e-posters for peer feedback.

At the end of the session, students will be given a problem to solve, encouraged to identify mystery materials and given the opportunity to play rock and fossil bingo!

Only 25 places are available per session, so please contact hiatus@liverpool.ac.uk to book or with any enquiries, and visit the GeoHub Liverpool website to find out more about the Department of Earth, Ocean and Ecological Sciences at the University of Liverpool.

Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo moon landings at Dynamic Earth this Earth Science Week, and uncover the epic story of humanity’s first voyage to another world through fun, family activities and demos. Zoom across the lunar surface using moon buggy VR, help our team build incredible Lego rockets, and even get your hands on a real piece of the moon. To top off your day head down to our ShowDome cinema to experience the moon landings in spectacular 360⁰ with our new movie CAPCOM GO!

Part of the Oxford Science and Ideas Festival. View fine art prints demonstrating the versatility of printmaking and the story of first animal evolution from the Cambrian Explosion (540 – 500 million years ago) that produced the ancestors of all animals alive today.

Come and visit during one of the following sessions:

Saturday 19 October: 11.00am to 5.00pm

Monday 21 October: 4.00pm to 8.00pm

Tuesday 22 October: 11.00am to 6.00pm

Wednesday 23 October: 6.00pm to 8.00pm

Saturday 26 October: 11.00am to 5.00pm

Monday 28 October: 4.00pm to 8.00pm

Artists will be demonstrating their techniques answering questions from 4.00pm to 6.00pm on both Mondays and Tuesday, 6.00pm to 8.00pm on Wednesday and 2.00pm to 5.00pm on both Saturdays.

IF Oxford is operating a Pay What You Decide (PWYD) ticketing system. This works by enabling you to pre-book events without paying for a ticket beforehand. Afterwards, you have the opportunity to pay what you decide you want to, or can afford. If you prefer, you can make a donation to IF Oxford when you book. All funds raised go towards next year’s Festival.

Saturday 12 October 2019​

Visit the British Geological Survey for their Open Day, following the theme of 'Geoscience is for everyone'. The day will feature talks and activities demonstrating how geology plays an important role in our daily lives, and BGS will also be showcasing the diversity of geoscience careers available for individuals across a whole range of interests and skills.

Although the event is aimed at families, there will be something for rock lovers of all ages, from newbies to experienced Earth scientists. As most of the activities will take place indoors, it's sure to be a great day out whatever the weather! This is a free event, but you must book tickets via Eventbrite.

The free Geo Day event is part of Sidmouth Science Festival's 'Super Science Saturday' and comprises interactive displays of rocks, minerals and mineral identification activities and fossils and dinosaurs for all ages. The day will also feature a rolling programme of 30-minute talks, including topics like plankton and climate, dinosaur research, Dartmoor tin mining and the history of a pebble.

Join local geological artist Rhiannon Holden for a free guided workshop to discover the outstanding Carboniferous rock formations of Bracelet Bay through the medium of art. The event will draw on the basic principles of geology, how to record field data, and the fundamentals of field sketching and interpretation in a dynamic and creative way. This event is suitable for families and children aged eight and up.

Spaces are limited, so please contact Rhiannon Holden at rhiannon.holden1@gmail.com to book your place, or if you have any enquiries.

Sunday 13 October 2019

Drop in at any time between 11.00am and 3.00pm to watch the Lickey Hills Geo-Champions at work clearing a geological site. There will be opportunities to discuss the geology and to participate in removing pine needles, moss and more from the rock surfaces to reveal structures. Suitable for all ages, this event is free and there will be displays highlighting the geology of the Lickey Hills, examples of simple geological instruments, and literature regarding the Lickey Hills Geo-Champions.

Monday 14 October 2019

Meet The Open University academic team working on the BBC and The Open University co-production Blue Planet II, including Professor Mark Brandon, Dr Phillip Sexton, Dr Miranda Dyson and Dr Pallavi Anand. Using breakthroughs in marine science and cutting-edge technologies, this landmark seven-part series brought viewers face-to-face with compelling stories from our Earth’s incredible oceans.

The talk uses video footage from Blue Planet II, covers the science of our oceans, the experience of the production process, how science and discovery were the driving forces behind the award-winning series, and is followed by an opportunity to get the team to answer your questions.

Tuesday 15 October 2019

Hear from Professor Monica Grady, Professor of Planetary and Space Science at The Open University, as she explores the developments of the last 50 years since man walked on the moon and the Open University was born. Professor Grady is most well known for her work on meteorites, with an asteroid named in her honour, and has spoken before about voyages in space and time. Expect to be both informed, thrilled and entertained.

Friday 18 October 2019

Attendees of this free crafternoon can use wet felting to create beautiful beachscapes inspired by the view of Morecambe Bay from Cotton On Studio, and learn about the geology of beaches at the same time.

Saturday 19 October 2019

Discover rocks and fossils in Cambridge city centre. This walking tour of Cambridge will introduce you to just a few of the rock types and geological features that can be found hidden in the walls, roofs and pavements around the city centre.

Please wear appropriate clothing for the weather. Meet at the steps of the museum 10 minutes before the tour starts.

Members (and their families) of the West Midlands Regional Group of the Geological Society (and associated groups) are invited to come to Oxford's renowned museum of natural history to embark upon a tour led by the curator.

Attendees will have to cover their own travel costs to the museum, and should meet the group at the entrance of the museum on the day.

Part of the Oxford Science and Ideas Festival. Crystal Palace, New Year’s Eve 1853. A sumptuous banquet is underway inside a life-sized Iguanodon model. Historical characters emerge; early ‘undergroundologists’ – England’s fossil finders. Dinosaurs are hot news; captivating the rich and the famous, but what do they mean? As new, unsettling ideas of extinction and evolution emerge, puddings spin and birds fly from pies in the Iguanodon Restaurant!

IF Oxford is operating a Pay What You Decide (PWYD) ticketing system. This works by enabling you to pre-book events without paying for a ticket beforehand. Afterwards, you have the opportunity to pay what you decide you want to, or can afford. If you prefer, you can make a donation to IF Oxford when you book. All funds raised go towards next year’s Festival.

Sunday 20 October 2019

Part of the Oxford Science and Ideas Festival. The wide range of rock types used for gravestones means that cemeteries can be geological treasure-troves. They are also great places to study local history and environmental science. Join geologists Nina Morgan and Philip Powell on a guided geological cemetery walk through Holywell Cemetery.

Be prepared to walk on rough ground so please wear comfortable walking shoes. This event may not be suitable for wheelchair users.

You can book your place on the Holywell Cemetery walk online via Eventbrite. IF Oxford is operating a Pay What You Decide (PWYD) ticketing system. This works by enabling you to pre-book events without paying for a ticket beforehand. Afterwards, you have the opportunity to pay what you decide you want to, or can afford. If you prefer, you can make a donation to IF Oxford when you book. All funds raised go towards next year’s Festival.

A two-hour guided geological walk through Clyne Valley Country Park, looking at the industrial legacy from coal mining, brick production and other extractive industries. To complement this activity, you can also visit Oystermouth Library's free public display about coal mining in Clyne Valley throughout the week.

Guided free geology walk delivered by Julie Schroder, Lickey Hills Geo-Champion. An introduction to the geology of the Lickey Hills with reference to the work of earlier geologists, especially James Watt Junior, who made a geological field excursion to the Lickeys in 1788. This event is suitable for all ages, but primarily adults who are interested in the history of geology and our current understanding of the Lickey Hills' geological features.

Part of the Oxford Science and Ideas Festival. The wide range of rock types used for gravestones means that cemeteries can be geological treasure-troves. They are also great places to study local history and environmental science. Join geologists Nina Morgan and Philip Powell on a guided geological cemetery walk through St Sepulchre's Cemetery.

Be prepared to walk on rough ground so please wear comfortable walking shoes. This event may not be suitable for wheelchair users.

You can book your place on the St Sepulchre's Cemetery walk online via Eventbrite. IF Oxford is operating a Pay What You Decide (PWYD) ticketing system. This works by enabling you to pre-book events without paying for a ticket beforehand. Afterwards, you have the opportunity to pay what you decide you want to, or can afford. If you prefer, you can make a donation to IF Oxford when you book. All funds raised go towards next year’s Festival.

Aimed at teenagers aged 13 to 17 (and their parents), this free geowalk will build on GCSE curricula and use the bay’s revealed strata to enhance understanding firstly of sedimentary processes and results, and secondly structural processes and results, and the timescales involved. The walk will last 1.5 hours and will span 3km over sandy beach, also involving climbing over some groynes.